Drumm to begin tenure as Chicopee Chamber president

By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com
CHICOPEE – Chicopee resident and West Springfield native Eileen Drumm will begin her tenure as the next president of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicopee on Feb. 3.
In her previous job, Drumm was a member of the chamber and explained that initially she had no intention to apply for the job when she learned that long-time president Gail Sherman had decided to retire.
Three days, before the deadline, though, Drumm decided to try for the job and she is glad she did.
“My goal has been to be in a leadership position in a nonprofit,” she explained to Reminder Publications.
Drumm is a 1998 Frances Perkins Scholar graduate of Mount Holyoke College and earned her master’s degree in Management of Nonprofit Organizations from American International College. She has worked for five years as the assistant minister at Faith United Church in Springfield, as well as several years in the hospice industry and as the director of Community relations for a start-up senior living community.
She sees her initial challenge to increase the size of the membership of the chamber. “We need to be innovative in the use of technology to make involvement in the chamber easy for members,” she said.
She noted the diversity of the business base in Chicopee is “wonderful” with its combination of family-owned businesses and as well as regional and national chains.
Drumm also said Westover Air Reserve Base is both “great for the city’s economy and for the nation.”
She would also like to broaden the footprint of the chamber by involving more businesses from adjoining communities to Chicopee.
“It is a very active chamber with a flavor that is warming and welcoming. Whether you are from Holyoke or Springfield you’ll be welcomed with open arms,” she said.